For this piece, I focused on maintaining a sense of atmosphere and restraint while keeping the puffin as the clear focal point. I began by thinking in terms of large value shapes rather than details, allowing the background to stay soft and open so the bird could feel grounded but not isolated.

I really enjoyed this class Will, particularly for the way it incouraged a freer approach to building atmospheric backgrounds. Working through the lesson gave me more confidence in allowing washes to move and interact, rather than controlling every passage. Even so, I stayed true to my usual sense of restraint, letting the background remain loose, layerd, and in motion while being careful not to overwork it.

I worked primarily wet-into-wet for the background, using layered blues and soft transitions to suggest coastal air rather than a specific location. I intentionally avoided hard edges in the sky so the space would feel expansive and alive. Texture was added sparinly with light splatter as you suggested to keep the washes active without becoming busy. 

For the puffin, I shifted to my more controlled form of brushwork, building form through value changes instead of line. Using your suggestions, I kept feather detail minimal, relying on subtle temperature shifts to describe the body while preserving the transparency of the wateroclor, something that continues to excite me. The beak was treated as the hightes contrast and most saturated area to naturally draw the eye. 

In terms of palette adjustments, I chose New Gamboge for it's warmth and clarity, especially in the beak and feet. I substituted Prussian Blue and Turquoise in place of Viridian to achieve cooler, more atmospheric blues to see if I could get greater depth and granulation in the background. I also used Payne's Grey instead of Neutral Tint to keep my shadows softer and more inegrated, as using Neutral Tint for me sometimes still produces flat darks even if I add color. 

Overall, my goal was to balance structure with softness, letting the puffin feel present and anchored while still surrounded by air, light, and quiet movement. I hope my painting reflects this❤️